Have you ever bought eyeglasses from Costco/Walmart?

[George P Burdell]

Until last year, my student insurance covered (to some extent) eye exams on campus. But this year, I'm on a different insurance that has no vision plan

Some guy mentioned that Costco and Walmart offer cheaper optical services, so I'm considering these stores. But I'm not sure how good the service will be. I know stores like LensCrafters let you walk in upto 30 days after purchase if you have any problems and they fix it.

Have you ever had an eye exam at any of these stores? Or purchased eyeglasses from them? How was your experience? How much did you pay? Do they offer any guarantee/warranty?

 

[BoomerD]

I got my last pair of glasses at Costco. I wasn't very impressed by the optometrist, (kept pushing un-needed services to boost the cost of the exam) but the glasses are fine. I'm getting due for new lenses, and will probably go back.

My wife only wears reading glasses, and got a pair at Wally-World, and they were also fine. (nowadays, she buys them off the rack at the grocery/drug store) :roll:

 

[ponyo]

cheap glasses from China

zenni optical $8

Just get your prescription and buy online from one of these places. Costco and Walmart are too expensive.

 

[Semper Fi]

My wife and kids get their exams and glasses/contacts from walmart. At walmart the eye doctor just rents space, they are not affiliated with walmart other than by location.

Awhile back someone posted in the hotdeals forum about a website with cheap eye glasses, I ordered some for my wife and they were pretty nice. I think it was something like 39dollarglasses.com or something like that.

 

[EagleKeeper]

My family has used WalMart for the past 4-5 years with no problems.

The original store will work to have everything proper.

Other stores will handle adjustments if needed.

We have utilized 5 different stores in this time frame in 4 states.

Due to eye quality, we pay about $300-400 per glasses set.

At one store, not having insurance, provided us with a 10% discount.

 

[boomerang]

I've gotten my last three pairs from Costco. First pair, I had both the exam and glasses at Costco.

After developing some semi-serious eye problems, I've since had my exams at the ophthalmologist, but get the glasses themselves at Costco.

My wife gets her glasses at Costco too.

I don't think I'd like picking out frames online. I want to see them on me first.

 

[Zee]

go to walmart,find a frame you like. take a pic of the frame and measure the width of the frame, each lens and thebridge. go online and buy it for 1/5 of the price.

 

[George P Burdell]

I've bought backup pairs from zenni optical in the past. For $9, what's there to lose? But I'm not sure how accurately they follow the prescription. Plus, I've had a bad experience in the past where the doctor screwed up my prescription and for two weeks I was walking around with a nasty headache.

I want to get my eye exam and glasses from a brick and mortar store so that, in case the glasses don't feel right or I get a headache, I can do back to the store and have the problem rectified immediately. Once everything works out, I can buy a cheap second pair online.

I just woke up and I'm really groggy, so if my post isn't making sense, I apologize

 

[montanafan]

I got a backup pair of glasses from Walmart. Didn't use their optometrist, brought in the prescription from mine. Glasses have been fine, they do adjustments at any Walmart at no charge. I don't remember the exact cost, I know it was under $200 though. The other pair from my optometrist cost twice as much, but those were "office lenses" and the Walmart ones were regular lenses.

 

[bonkers325]

Originally posted by: Naustica
cheap glasses from China

zenni optical $8

Just get your prescription and buy online from one of these places. Costco and Walmart are too expensive.

zenni is awesome if u have a low prescrip. at higher prescrip, zenni costs ~$100 and the benefit/risk isnt worth it. low prescips will run u about $20 for a decent pair

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Bought my last 3-pair from Costco.

You cna find designer frames for around $100 and be out hte door for well under $200. Or you cna go cheap and pick up a $40 frame and be out the door for around $100.

Benefit is you can try them on unlike the online cheapo optical shops.

 

[FoBoT]

i would get my glasses at costco if they took my insurance

 

[Cogman]

I got my last pair from walmart, Worst pair of glasses I have ever owned. The lens keeps on popping out, they did a crappy job of fitting the frame, Over all, just a bad experience.

 

[akshatp]

Costco. Always

 

[DaveJ]

Originally posted by: Fmr12B
Bought my last 3-pair from Costco.

You cna find designer frames for around $100 and be out hte door for well under $200. Or you cna go cheap and pick up a $40 frame and be out the door for around $100.

Benefit is you can try them on unlike the online cheapo optical shops.

Damn, that's cheap... I go to a local shop and my glasses cost about $400 a pair. How good is the quality at Costco? My lenses are high index with an anti-glare coating, and I don't think my prescription is too complicated...

 

[Uppsala9496]

I've been going to Costco for eyeglasses/contacts for about 6 years now.

The last pair I bought was ~$195. Nike frames (frameless ones), anti-glare coated lenses, etc. Really good pricing for what I wanted. Of course the frames I picked out happen to be the most expensive ones they had.

That reminds me...time to set up another appt for new contacts.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Originally posted by: DaveJ

Originally posted by: Fmr12B
Bought my last 3-pair from Costco.

You cna find designer frames for around $100 and be out hte door for well under $200. Or you cna go cheap and pick up a $40 frame and be out the door for around $100.

Benefit is you can try them on unlike the online cheapo optical shops.

Damn, that's cheap... I go to a local shop and my glasses cost about $400 a pair. How good is the quality at Costco? My lenses are high index with an anti-glare coating, and I don't think my prescription is too complicated...

My last two pair have been frames by Ralph Lauren. Frames $110, lenses with antiglare $65. $185 with tax out the door. Free adjustments for life. I'm around a -2.25 in my prescription and have no other issues.

Same pair at a Mall sotre would be at least $350. Costco gets you your new glasses in 7-10 days.

Selection is not huge and frames come and go pretty quickly so the selection changes often.

 

[AgentUnknown]

So the eye exam at costco is around $45-55. Lenses depending on you, $40-200. How much do lenses cost? I guess it's around $65. So the lowest price you can get is $150?

 

[boomerang]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
i would get my glasses at costco if they took my insurance

They don't take mine either, but I can print out a claim form online, fill it out and send it in with the Costco receipt.

I've never had a problem doing this and have my reimbursement within three weeks.

My vision insurer is very much OK with this arrangement. Cole Managed Vision.